Infant&#39;s exercising and entertainment device



N V- 1955 B. THOMSON INFANT'S EXERCISING AND ENTERTAINMENT DEVICE Filed Jan. 8, 1953 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 01 INFANTS uxnncrsmo AND ENTERTAINMENT DEVICE Barbara L. Thomson, Birmingham, Mich.

Application January 8, 1953, Serial No. 330,198

8 Claims. (Cl. 272-58) My invention relates to infants exercising and entertainment devices, and more particularly to devices which provide amusement and exercise for the infant while resting in a reclining position.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved exercising and entertainment device by means of which an infant can be supported on its back, the natural kicking movements of the infant actuating the device in an entertaining manner.

It is another object of my invention to provide a device of the above character in which objects such as toys, rattles or bars can be supported so that the infant, while in a reclining position, can vibrate these objects by means of his kicking movements in an amusing manner, and can at the same time derive exercise by reaching up and handling the toys and rattles.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device as described above, which is of relatively simple and economical construction, and in which the portion on which the infant is supported can be easily removed, cleaned and replaced.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an improved exercising and entertainment device of the above nature, with which the infant is entirely safe from harm and in which there are no exposed parts which might possibly injure the infant.

Other objects, features, and advantages of'the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a preferred form of the exercising and entertainment device of my invention, showing the configuration and relative disposition of the parts;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view in elevation taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing the means for securing the ends of the cover to the frame of the device;

Figure 3 is across-secitonal view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and showing the means for securing the side edges of the cover to the frame;

Figure 4 is a developed view of the cover in its detached condition;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device, in which the cover is formed as an open-ended envelope;

, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of Figure 5 and showing the engagement of the envelope cover with the sides of the frame; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 5 and showing the securing means for the open end of the envelope cover.

My invention comprises a frame generally indicated at 11 and a cover generally indicated at 12, the entire assembly being adapted to rest in a crib or on a carpet, lawn or similar surface. In general, the frame may be described as having a flat lower section and an upwardly extending section at one end resiliently connected to the lower flat section, the upwardly extending section having a portion extending back over the flat section. More particularly, the frame 11 comprises a pair of straight longitudinal members 13 which are in parallel spaced relation and an upwardly extending member 14 at one end of each member 13. The longitudinal members 13 and upwardly extending members 14 are shown as portions formed from two integral strips, although it will be understood that members 13 and 14 could be fabricated of different materials if desired. Members 14 are resiliently connected to members 13, and in the preferred form are curved upwardly from members 13 and are formed of metal having spring-like or resilient qualities.

The pair of strips which comprise members 13 and 14 are connected by a plurality of transverse members or crosspieces, three such crosspieces 15, 16 and 17 being shown in the illustrated embodiment, although it will be understood that a different number could be used. The crosspieces are secured by spot welding or similar means to the undersides of the longitudinal strips, crosspiece 15 forming the lower outer end of the frame, crosspiece member 16 being located at an intermediate position be tween members 13 and 14 and crosspiece 17 connecting curved members 14.

The upper ends of curved members 14 extend back over the lower straight members 13, and the outer ends 15 of members 14 serve as cantilever supports for a group of laythings. As shown, the ends 15 are provided with apertures (unnumbered) which retain cords or similar members 18 by such means as beads 19. The cords 18 depend below the ends 15 and have strung thereon beads 21 and rattles 22. Held between the cords 18 is a bar 23 made of plastic or similar suitable material and which may be either flexible or rigid, and a toy 24 is suspended from an intermediate point on bar 23. It will be understood that the particular arrangement of playthings held by ends 15 of the frame may be varied.

The cover 12 is adapted to be held by frame 11 and forms a support or surface on which the infant lies, as well as a wall portion against which the infant may kick. For this purpose the cover may be made of cloth, plastic or any other suitable material. In the embodiment of Figures 1-4 the cover is formed as a single layer of material, although it will be understood that if desired the cover, and especially the panel section 25 thereof, may be appropriately padded to provide a soft and yielding surface for the infants body and head. The cover has a main panel section 25 as shown in Figure 4, with side attaching flaps 26, a lower end attaching flap 27 and upper end attaching flap 28. The panel section 25 is of sufficient width to extend between the longitudinal frame members 13 and its length is such that when placed in position it extends part way along the upwardly curved members 14, thus forming a wall portion 29 curving upwardly from the flat portion of the panel. The flaps 26, 27 and 28 are provided with spaced fastening members 31 of a suitable type which cooperate with corresponding fastener members 32 on the underside of panel 25, so that by folding flaps 26 around frame members 13 and 14, flap 27 around frame member 15 and flap 28 around frame member 17 the cover 12 may be securely fastened to the frame in the manner shown.

It will be noted from an examination of the figures that the device is so proportioned that an infant may lie with his back resting on the flat portion of panel 25 and his feet resting against the wall portion 29 of the cover. When the infant is lying in this position he may easily reach up and play with the toys, rattles and bar suspended from ends 15 of the frame. Moreover, when the infant kicks his legs in a normal manner, the jarring of wall 29 will cause the spring-like curved members 14 of the frame to vibrate, and the subsequent amplified oscillating motion of outer ends 15 will shake the playthings which are within reach and sight of the infant. It is thus seen that the device, by encouraging kicking movement of the infant as well as reaching and pulling movement with his hands, will serve both an entertainment and an exercising function. Due to its simplicity of construction the device cannot be damaged in normal use, and the safety of the infant is fully preserved.

It will be noted that the innately stable nature of the device prevents possibility of its tilting or tipping in any way. For example, should the infant pull down on the bar 23 or on one of the playthings suspended therefrom, the force will be transmitted to the flat portion of the frame, thereby holding the device more firmly in position. Moreover, the weight of the infant will itself serve to anchor the device, so that the effect of the kicking and pulling is merely to move the upper springlike portions of the frame and the playthings suspended therefrom. It will also be obvious that the cover 12 may be easily removed for replacement or cleaning purposes.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of the invention which is essentially similar to the first embodiment and includes a frame generally indicated at 33 with playthings 34 suspended from the upper curved spring-like members 35 of the frame. The cover 36 is in this case formed as an open-ended envelope which can be slipped over the lower outer end 37 of the frame and fastened to the upper transverse frame member 38 by means of spaced fasteners 39 on the cover cooperating with corresponding fasteners 1 on member 38. In this manner a double thickness is provided for the cover, which may be quickly attached to or removed from the frame.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An exercising and entertainment device for infants including a unitary frame having a flat lower infant-supporting section and an upwardly extending section at one end thereof, said upwardly extending section being resiliently connected to said lower infant-supporting section and having a portion projecting thereover so as to be spaced above the infant-supporting section, a plaything held by said projecting portion above said lower fiat frame section, an infant-supporting surface held by said lower fiat section of said frame, and a wall surface held by the upwardly extending section of said frame, said wall surface being so disposed relative to said infantsupporting surface that kicking movements of the infant which engage said wall surface will cause movement of said plaything.

2. The combination according to claim 1, said upwardly extending frame section being formed of material having spring-like qualities, whereby the frame section itself is deformable to form said resilient connection.

3. An exercising and entertainment device for infants including a frame having a lower flat infant-supporting section, an upwardly extending section at one end of said frame and having a resilient connection with said lower flat infant-supporting section, a portion of said upwardly extending frame section projecting back over the fiat infant-supporting section of said frame so as to be spaced thereabove, means on said projecting portion for supporting a plaything in spaced relation above said flat frame portion, and a cover secured to both sections of said frame, the lower fiat portion of said cover being adapted to support an infant, and the upwardly extending portion of said cover being disposed at an angle relative to the lower fiat portion so that kicking movements of the infants feet may strike said upwardly extending portion.

4. An exercising and entertainment device for infants including a unitary frame having a pair of spaced longitudinal frame members forming a lower fiat infantsupporting frame section, upwardly extending resilient members at one end of said frame, said members having upper portions projecting back over the lower flat infant-supporting section of said frame so as to be spaced thereabove, means at the outer ends of said projecting portions for supporting a plaything in spaced relation above said lower flat infant-supporting frame section, a plurality of transverse frame members extending between said longitudinal frame members, and a cover secured to the lower fiat frame members and said upwardly extending resilient members, said cover forming a lower fiat infant-supporting surface and an upwardly extending wall surface.

5. The combination according to claim 4, further provided with a bar secured between the outer ends of said projecting portions, and a plaything suspended from said bar.

6. The combination according to claim 4, said cover having a panel portion extending between said longitudinal frame members and between said resilient members to form said infant-supporting and said wall surfaces, a plurality of flaps along the edges of said panel section and overlapping said longitudinal and transverse frame members and said resilient members, and fastening means for securing said flaps in their overlapped positions.

7. An exercising and entertainment device for infants including a unitary frame having a pair of longitudinal frame members in spaced parallel relation, said frame members having straight portions forming a Hat infant-supporting frame section and upwardly curved resilient portions at one end thereof, the upper ends of said upwardly curved portions projecting back over said infant-supporting section so as to be spaced thereabove, means for supporting a plaything from the ends of saidprojecting portions above said infant-supporting section, a plurality of transverse frame members extending between said longitudinal frame members, and a cover secured to said frame and forming a flat infant-supporting surface and an upwardly curved wall surface.

8. The combination according to claim 7, said cover being formed as an open-ended envelope adapted to be slipped over one end of said frame, and fastening means at the open end of said envelope for securing the envelope to one of said transverse frame members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,594 Wightman Mar. 6, 1934 2,048,587 Averill July 21, 1936 2,327,253 Eisel Aug. 1'7, 1943 2,461,682 De Ferrari Feb. 15, 1949 

